Ryan lampoons “war on women” charge

A bevy of Democratic campaign chiefs, including Washington Sen. Patty Murray, have charged that Republicans are waging a “war on women”, citing such evidence as coverage of contraception, abortion and House Republicans’ effort to cut off all federal money to Planned Parenthood clinics.

The Republicans’ nominee for vice president, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, has taken to making fun of the Democrats claim, used in money appeals by House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and by Murray as chair of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee.

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (Getty Images)

According to ABC News, Ryan told a Naples, Fla., fundraiser:

‘Now, it’s a ‘War on Women.’ Tomorrow, it’s going to be a ‘War on Left-Handed Irishmen’ or something like that.”

The battle for women’s votes has intensified over the past two weeks. Mitt Romney’s ratings among women voters showed a sharp uptick after the first presidential debate, or at least until the Republican nominee’s “binders full of women” remark in Tuesday night’s second debate with President Obama.

But the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal polls in the “Battleground” states of Wisconsin and Iowa show a modest Obama lead in both states, built on the president’s large advantage with women voters.

The Washington Poll, released Thursday, gives Obama a substantial lead in this “blue” state, but with very different results between the genders.

Obama has a whopping 54.6-37.9 percent lead over Romney among female voters. With men, however, it’s a narrow 48.2-44.4 percent advantage.